History
The San Francisco State University Retirement Association was founded on November 1, 1979 in response to a letter from Professor Ann Paterson of our campus. Her letter was directed to faculty members on various campuses in our system encouraging the formation of retirees’ organizations with the primary goal of increasing retirement benefits. A number of campuses including Long Beach, Sacramento, and San Diego State announced plans to establish similar organizations. While Ann declined becoming the first President of our newly formed group, she is recognized as the Founder of our retirement associations.
In 1982 the Association began publishing a newsletter which became known as the Off-Campus Bulletin in 1988. This bulletin is now distributed in both paper edition and electronic version. In addition, the Association publishes a Membership Directory in alternate years.
Our Association is part of the Retired Public Employees Association (RPEA). We are closely associated with the CSU Emeritus and Retired Faculty Association (ERFA) from which we receive a 15% rebate on dues which our members pay to it. All of us together are a part of the State Coalition of Retired Employees (SCORE) which coordinates our combined efforts to influence retirement legislation. Through our participation with these groups (we have representatives on the ERFA Board), we receive news about the state budget, CalPERS, long-term care, and other items of interest to retirees.
Some years ago we widened the scope of membership to include staff. In addition, we invited the University Women’s Association (UWA) to send a representative to our Board of Directors. We have begun to co-sponsor some of our campus activities with the UWA as many of our members are also members of that organization as they are also members of Friends of the Library. We fund special programs of travel grants for active faculty and staff and we get together several times a year for special luncheons along with occasional arranged excursions.
One of the significant features of our history is that we have done what we have done as VOLUNTEERS. We have no office, no paid staff, but lots of heroes in our ranks who have organized meetings, kept records, and given many happy hours of fellowship for over 30 years.